Bob Dole has endorsed Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, and now is urging fellow Republicans to support him in order to defeat Hillary Clinton, according to a Trump campaign statement.

Dole, who was 1996 Republican presidential nominee before losing to President Bill Clinton, served in the U.S. Senate representing Kansas and is a former Republican National Committee chairman.

"The voters of our country have turned out in record numbers to support Mr. Trump," Dole said in the statement. "It is important that their votes be honored and it is time that we support the party's presumptive nominee, Donald J. Trump."

"I plan to attend the (Republican National Convention) in Cleveland to show my support for our party and our ticket, as I have done my entire life. We must unite as a party to defeat Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump is our party's presumptive nominee and our best chance at taking back the White House this November."

Trump called Dole "a wonderful man," and added that he was honored to have his support, according to the campaign statement.

Dole's endorsement was another sign of Republican leaders warming up to Trump as the party's presumptive nominee. Dick Cheney, vice president under George W. Bush, announced that he would support Trump on Friday, according to CNN.

Sens. John McCain, Chuck Grassley, and Kelly Ayotte also voiced their support for Trump as well, noted Politico.

Cheney's endorsement is a break from George W. Bush, who said through a spokesman last week that he will not make an endorsement along with his father, President George H.W. Bush, breaking a streak of endorsing the last five Republican nominees, noted the Washington Post.

Mitt Romney, who was the GOP Republican nominee in 2012, said he does not plan on attending the Republican convention, noted CNN.

Trump is scheduled to meet with House Speaker and Republican Party convention chair Paul Ryan this week in an attempt to hammer out their differences, reported Reuters. Ryan told CNN last week that he was "just not ready" to support Trump as the Republican presumptive nominee.

Bob Dole has endorsed Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, and now is urging fellow Republicans to support him in order to defeat Hillary Clinton, according to a Trump campaign statement.